Mechanism for the stacking of articles

ABSTRACT

A machine for making embossed segments of fluff and placing them onto one side of the internal pad of sanitary napkins and wrapping gauze around the pad and segment. The machine includes provision for high-speed operation including a two-speed acceleration apparatus for starting the internal pads from rest, apparatus for tacking end tabs of the gauze to the rest of the pad to prevent wind effects on them and a double-gated sanitary napkin stacking apparatus.

United States Patent v 1 1 3,557,972

[72] lnventor Charles T. Banks [56] References Cited Neenah, Wis. v UNITED STATES PATENTS Q 2?- g f fii 1,563,071 11/1925 Brecknell... 214/6(K)X Division ofSer. No. 621,015, Mar. 6, 1967, 333335 5:32; 3

3 392 853 7/1968 M iii 11 l 214 6 K [45] Patemed Jami-KY9? ic e e a I [73] Assignee Kimberly-Clark Corporation Primary Examiner-Gerald M. Forlenza Neenah, Wis. Assistant Examiner-Robert J. Spar a corporation of Delaware Attorneys-Daniel J. Hanlon, Jr. and Raymond J. Miller ABSTRACT: A machine for making embossed segments of fluff and placing them onto one side of the internal pad of [54] MEQHANISM Q l" STACKING 0F ARTICLES sanitary napkins and wrapping gauze around the pad and segl Clam" l3 Drawmg ment. The machine includes provision for high-speed opera- [52] US. Cl 2l4/6K tion including a two-speed acceleration apparatus for starting [51] Int. Cl B65g 57/06 the internal pads from rest, apparatus for tacking end tabs of [50] Field of Search 214/6K, the gauze to the rest of the pad to prevent wind effects on 6H; 198/24; 271/86, 64, 3; 2 l 4/6D them and a double-gated sanitary napkin stacking apparatus.

PATENTEU JAN26 19?:

SHEET 2 UF 4 PATENTEU JANZB I971 SHEET 3 BF 4 HOW VOM

MECHANISM FOR THE STACKING OF ARTICLES This application is a division of copending application Ser. No. 621,015, filed Mar. 6, 1967, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,494,001. This division is directed to the double-gated sanitary napkin stacking apparatus.

The invention relates to sanitary napkins and more particularly to a machine for making such napkins.

It has been previously proposed in an application filed on Mar. 30, I965, by John C. Bletzinger, Eugene H. Condon and Richard C. Simons, Ser. No. 443,847, (now U.S. Pat. No. 3,375,827) which has been assigned to the same assignee as the present application, to provide an improved sanitary napkin with an internal pad having an embossed fluff segment on the active side of the pad. The fluff segment serves to immediately accept the body exudate, to rapidly transport the exudate away from the discharge source and to effectively contain the exudate within the confines of the napkin. It is an object, in particular, of the present invention to provide an improved machine for making napkins of this type, and it is a more particular object to provide, in such a machine, napkin packing apparatus which includes two gates, one for receiving individual napkins and the other for collecting pairs of such napkins, so as to allow a receiver in which napkins are stacked to have greater time for movement from one stacking position to another stacking position.

The invention consists of the novel constructions, arrangements, devices and methods to be hereinafter described and claimed for carrying out the above stated objects, and such other objects, as will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of a machine and a preferred manner of carrying out the method of the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of the sanitary-napkinmaking machine which includes a fluff machine assembly A, a squeezer assembly B, an embossing assembly C, a cutter assembly D, another cutter assembly E, a gauze applying assembly F, a folder assembly G, a pleating assembly I, a third cutter assembly J, a tab folding assembly K, a tab tacking assembly L and a pad packing assembly M;

FIG. 1A is a plan view of a sanitary napkin made with the machine of the invention;

FIG. 1B is a sectional view taken on line 13-18 of FIG. IA;

FIG. 1C is a plan view of an embossed fluff segment which is disposed on one face of the sanitary napkin;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the pad packing assembly M;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the packing assembly M;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the top portion of the pad packing assembly M;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the assembly M; and

FIGS. 8, 9 and are sectional views taken respectively on lines 8-8, 9-9, and 10-10 of FIG. 7.

A fluff machine assembly is indicated at A" in FIG. 1 and fluff is formed from pulp roll 55. The pulp may, for example, be wound in a strip 8 inches wide and one-sixth to one-eighth inch thick and is composed practically completely of wood fibers that have been dried and formed into a web. The pulpmay, for example, be bleached kraft pulp or may be sulfite or sulfate process pulp. The fluff machine assembly A" comprises four fluted feed rolls, three of which are shown at 58, 59 and 60. The pulp is fed by the rolls in assembly .A" and is picked apart and directed to forming cylinder means having a perforated surface at 70 in FIG. I. A batt of wood fibers or fluff in the form of a strip about Wainches in width and of three-fourth inch thickness is formed by the cylinder means and sequentially directed (FIG. 1) to: a squeezer assembly B having squeeze element carrying rolls 95, 96 which serve to impress the batt without cutting; an embossing assembly C" having rolls as at 99 and which assembly serves to provide a strip of fluff or segment I16 (FIG. 10) with depressions 117;

a cutter assembly D" having a roll 125 provided with a knife 127 for cutting the batt, driving drum being provided for directing the batt to cutter assembly E-- between guide rolls I36, 137 while the cut strips are carriedbetween belts 132, 133, the belts being given a twist to provide the embossed surfaces of the cut segments on the bottom instead of the top.

The severed strips of batt or fluff segments I16 are applied by the machine onto the lower surface of sanitary napkin pads which are made or manufactured by an suitable apparatus. The sanitary napkin pads 150 each comprises an elongate body (see FIGS. IA and 18) having a pair of reduced thickness tapered ends I51 and I52. Such a sanitary napkin conventionally is made up of a multitude of layers of creped tissue paper, one or more layers of fluff of the same type used for the batts (but without embossing or other compressing), and a layer of gauze about these layers. Alternately, the pad 150 could be made up of a single layer of fluff or could be of any other suitable construction. Such a pad is enclosed in a gauze wrapping which is applied as shown in FIGS. 1A and IB, and the machine as shown in the drawings includes a die assembly 153 for shaping the ends of the pads and also for severing the pads off of a continuous length of either the layers of creped tissue or fluff.

Each of the pads 150 is wrapped in gauze I71, and the cmbossed fluff segments 116 are preliminarily positioned on the gauze as the gauze and pads travel together so that, as the gauze is wrapped around a pad, a fluff segment 116 is properly positioned on one surface of the pad and is squeezed by roll I82.

After the pad 150 and a fluff segment I16 have been assembled with the gauze web 171, the gauze web is drawn through the gauze folder assembly G which wraps the gauze around the pad. The gauze folder assembly comprises a sheet metal folding board 1187 over which one edge of the gauze travels and is folded over the pad.

An extruder assembly H is provided after the final stage of gauze folding, The extruder assembly H comprises a vessel which lies just above the center of the pads 150 as they travel from the folder assembly G to the pleating assembly I. A thermoplastic material is extruded from vessel 190 to the gauze as the pads 150 travel from the gauze folder assembly G to the pleating assembly I. The pleating assembly I is effective for pleating the segments of gauze between successive pads 150.

A pair of heated rolls, one of which is shown at 207 (FIG.,I) function to press fold portions of the gauze together.

The cutter assembly J has the function of severing the portions of the gauze as folded and pleated between the pads 150 so as to form the completed pads with gauze tabs 225 and 226 (see FIG. IA); and, for this purpose, the assembly J comprises a rotatable cutter head 229 (FIG. I).

The pads 150, after the folded and pleated portions of the gauze between them has been cut, are delivered to a tab folding assembly K which includes a carrying belt 230. The pads move from the tab folder assembly K to a tab-adhering assembly L by means of which the folded-over tabs 225 and 226 are caused to adhere slightly to the gauze wrapping the main body 150 of the pad. Belt 250 conveys pads to belt 290.

A large wheel 261 having a shaft 262 is provided to engage and soften by heat the thermoplastic of the pads, and the gauze pad ends 225, 226 are thereby fixed to the gauze wrapping the bodies 150 of the pads.

The pad packing section M comprises the conveyor belt 290 which passes over rolls 291, 292 and 293 (see FIG. 2). The belt 290 is driven by the roll 292 at a slower speed than the preceding feed belt 250 from the tacking assembly M" such as at, for example, 75 percent of the speed of the belt 250. A platform 294 is provided for supporting the upper stretch of the belt 290. The pads I50 are successively discharged off of the belt 250 (FIG. 2) onto the belt 290 and from the end of the belt 290 above the roll 292 into an upper set of dropping gates 295. A lower set of dropping gates 296 is positioned below the gates 295, and a shiftable collecting bucket 297 is positioned below the dropping gates 296. The section M is provided with an unloading platform 298, and it is the general purpose of the gates 295 and 296 and the collecting bucket 297 together with appurtenant apparatus, to provide stacks of six to twelve pads 150 on the platform 298 from which the stacks of pads can be removed manually or mechanically.

The bucket 297 is formed by six upwardly extending spears 299, 300, 301, 302, 303 and 304 (see FIGS. 3 and 5). These upwardly extending spears are fixed on a bottom carriage 305 which is mounted on rollers 306 to move transversely with respect to framework 307.

The upper dropping gate set 295 comprises two plates 308 and 309 (see FIGS. 3 and 4). The plate 308 is fixed on a lever 310' which is pivoted at 311, and the plate 309 is fixed on a lever 312 which is pivoted at 313 (see FIG. 3). The lower dropping gate set 296 comprises plates 314 and 315. The plate 314 is supported by means of a pair oflevers 316 also pivoted at 311, and the plate 315 is supported by means of a pair of levers 317 also pivoted at 313.

One of the levers 316 and the lever 310 each have a cam follower 318 (FIG. 3) connected by means of a short lever 319 to the respective lever 316 or 310. A cam 320 (see FIGS. 7 and fixed on a shaft 321 is provided to be effective on the cam follower 318 for the plate 308, and cams 322 and 323 (see FIGS. 8 and 9) are provided to be effective on the follower 318 for the plate 314. The cam 322 is also fixed on the shaft 321, and the cam 323 is fixed on a separate shaft 324. For the particular cam designs illustrated, the shaft 321 rotates one revolution for each four pads that are stacked onto the platform 298, and the shaft 324,makes one revolution for every odd-numbered pad, such as 7, 9 or 11, which is stacked onto the platform. in any case, the speed of the shaft 324 is one revolution for each stack of pads stacked on the platform 298. The shafts 321 and 324 may be so driven by any suitable drive apparatus (not shown).

One of the levers 317 and the lever 312 have similar cam followers 325 disposed on carrying levers 326. A cam 327 is provided for the cam follower 325 for the lever 312, and cams 328 and 329 are provided for the cam follower 325 for the plate 315 The cams 327, 328 and 329 are respectively mirror images of the cams 327, 328 and 329 are respectively 320, 322 and 323, and the cams are so cut that the plates 308 and 309 are positioned together so as to hold each individual pad 150 that is discharged off the end of the conveyor belt 290. After each pad rests on the plates 308 and 309, the plates 308 and 309 are drawn apart and the particular pad falls down onto the plates 314 and 315. The plates 314 and 315 collect pairs of such pads; and, after collecting a pair of such pads, the plates 314 and 315 separate and allow the pads to drop down into the bucket 297. This is generally true except when an odd number of pads are desired in a stack to be discharged onto the platform 298; and, in this case, the cams 329 and 323 are so adjusted with respect to speed and rotative position on the shaft 324 that the plates 314 and 31S collect only one pad during the time required to form a stack on the platform 298.

The bucket 297 has two positions and is moved side to side. It, of course, requires a certain time to move the bucket 297 from one position to another; and, in order to allow greater time for such movement, the plates 314 and 315 have been provided to collect pairs of pads rather than individual pads.

The spears 299, 300, 302 and 303 form a pad receptacle 330; and the spears 300, 301, 303 and 304 form a pad receptacle 331. Either the receptacle 330 or the receptacle 331 is positioned below the plates 314 and 315 at the time these plates are opened, and the mechanism for so moving the bucket 297 comprises a cam 332 and a cam follower 333 which is connected to the platform 305 (see FIG. 3

The cam 332 is rotated one-half revolution of each transverse movement of the bucket 297 positioning either the receptacle 330 or the receptacle 331 directly beneath the plates 314 and 315. This rotation of one-half revolution is accomplished from a crank 334. A connecting rod 335 is connected and pivoted on one end to the crank 334 at 336, and the connecting rod 335 on its other end is connected to a slide bar 337 and a rack 338. The rack meshes with a gear 339, and the gear carries a pawl 340 which is adapted to engage with any one of four teeth 341 carried by a sprocket 342. The length of the geared portion ofthe rack 338 is just sufficient so that the pawl 340 and the sprocket 342 are rotated just onequarter revolution for each stroke of the rack.

The cam 332 is fixed on a shaft 343, and a sprocket 344 is also fixed on the shaft 343. A chain 345 passes over the sprockets 342 and 344 as well as over an idler sprocket 346; and the sizes of the sprockets 342 and 344 are such that the sprocket 344 and the cam 332 are rotated through one-half revolution for each one-quarter revolution of the sprocket 342.

A pair of pusher bars 347 and 348 are disposed adjacent the bucket 297 and are in alignment with the receptacles 330 and 331 in the filled positions of the receptacles 330 and 331. Each of the pusher bars 347 and 348 is mounted on a sliding rod 349 which is actuated from the slide bar 337. The slide bar 337 carries a plate cam 350 having a cam slot 351 therein. A lever 352 is centrally mounted on a stud 353 disposed on a fixed part 354, and the lever carries a cam follower pin 355 on one end that slides in the cam slot 351. A lever 356 is swingably mounted from one end on a fixed pin 357, and the lever 356 is connected by means of a link 358 with a connecting bar 359 that is fixed to the rods 349 for both of the pushers 347. The lower end of the lever 352 carries a cam follower pin 360 which is slidably disposed in a slot 361 provided in the lever 356.

The arrangement is such that as the slide bar 337 reciprocates to the right, for example, as seen in FIG. 28, the cam 350 moves along with the slide bar so as to rotate the lever 352 in a counterclockwise direction. The cam follower 360 thus moves up in the slot 361 and swings the lever 356 in the clockwise direction, and the rods 349 and pusher bars 347 are thus moved to the right through the action of the connecting link 358 and connecting bar 359. The pusher bars 347 are thus moved to push a stack of pads outwardly from wither receptacle 330 or 331 onto the platform 298 just subsequent to movement of the bucket 297 from one of its positions to the other.

The sanitary napkins formed as described in connection with FIG. 1 pass from the belt 250 onto the belt 290; and, from thence, the napkins drop successively onto the upper set of dropping gates 295 of the napkin packing assembly M. Each napkin, as it is discharged off of the belt 290, comes to rest on the plates 308 and 309 and these plates are drawn apart for each pad and the pad falls down onto the plates 314 and 315. The plates 308 and 309 are actuated by four-lobed cams 320 and 327, and the shaft 321 driving these cams makes one revolution for each four pads discharged from the belt 290 in order to obtain this result. The plates 314 and 315 are pulled apart for each two sanitary napkins that drop from the plates 308 and 309, and this is due to the action of the two-lobed cams 322 and 328 which are driven by the same shaft 321 and which actuate the plates 314 and 315. Thus, after two sanitary napkins are collected on the plates 314 and 315, these plates open and discharge the two sanitary napkins into either the receptacle 330 or the receptacle 331, depending on which of the receptacles is at the time located directly below, in a vertical plane located directly below, in a vertical plane located midway between the levers 316 and 317. The cams 320 and 322 and their mirror image cams 327 and 328 for the gates 295 and 296 are so adjusted rotatively to each other that the gates 295 are closed when the gates 296 open, and vice versa.

If it is desired to open the plates 314 and 315 after they have collected only a single napkin, this may be done by causing the single-lobed cams 323 and 329, which are driven from their own shaft 324, to actuate the plates. Thus, stacks of uneven numbers of napkins may be accumulated in the receptacles 330 and 331, if desired.

The bucket 297 is moved from one of its napkin collecting positions, a position having one of the receptacles 330 or 331 disposed directly below the napkins collected by the plates 314 and 315, to the other napkin collecting position during the time the plates 314 and 315 are collecting pairs of the napkins; and the fast movement of the bucket 297, which would be required if it were to move from one of its napkin collecting positions to the other during the time a single napkin is collected positions to the other during the time a single napkin is collected, is thus not necessary. The use of the upper drop gates 295 in addition to the lower drop gates 296 assures that the napkins are better aligned when they are dropped into the bucket 297 inasmuch as much the segment 116 on one face of each napkin protrudes to some extent and makes accurate stacking more difficult. I have also found that sets of two napkins drop more accurately into the bucket 297, so for this reason also it is desirable to have the packing assembly M so constructed as to drop two napkins at a time.

The pusher bars 347 and 348 are actuated to push completed stacks of sanitary napkins onto the platform 298, and these pusher bars are respectively in line with the receptacles 330 and 331 in theirinactive positions when out of vertical line with sanitary napkins dropping from the plates 314 and 315. There is a dwell in the cam slot 351 in the inactive position of the plate cam 350 (the part of the cam slot in which the pin 355 is shown in FIG. 2), and this allows rotation of the cam 332 to move the bucket 297 from one of its napkin collecting positions to the other before the pusher bars are moved between the spears 299 to 304 forming the receptacles 330 and 331. s

I wish it to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific constructions and methods above described except only insofar as the claims may be so limited. as it will be understood to those skilled in the art that changes may be made without departing from the principles of the in vention.

I claim:

1. ln mechanism for providing stacks of articles, a first pair of drop gates on which the articles may be initially positioned, a second pair of drop gates located below said first pair, a receiver for the articles located below said second pair of drop gates, and cam means for causing said first pair of drop gates to open for each article deposited thereon and for causing said second pair of drop gates to open after a plurality of the articles have been deposited thereon for dropping the plurality of articles at a time into said receiver, said cam means comprising cams effective on said first pair of drop gates and cams effective on said second pair of drop gates all of which are driven at the same speed and said cam means including also cams effective on said second pair of drop gates and driven at a different speed so as to be effective to open said second pair of drop gates to allow a single article to fall from the second pair of drop gates. 

1. In mechanism for providing stacks of articles, a first pair of drop gates on which the articles may be initially positioned, a second pair of drop gates located below said first pair, a receiver for the articles located below said second pair of drop gates, and cam means for causing said first pair of drop gates to open for each article deposited thereon and for causing said second pair of drop gates to open after a plurality of the articles have been deposited thereon for dropping the plurality of articles at a time into said receiver, said cam means comprising cams effective on said first pair of drop gates and cams effective on said second pair of drop gates all of which are driven at the same speed and said cam means including also cams effective on said second pair of drop gates and driven at a different speed so as to be effective to open said second pair of drop gates to allow a single article to fall from the second pair of drop gates. 